Research | Tetiaroa Society

One planet, one experiment. ― Edward O. Wilson

Tetiaroa Society has attracted some of the world's leading scholars on Pacific/Island/Ocean issues and they guide our research programs which vary from island and coral reef ecology to digital science, and oceanography to archaeology. Central themes for research on Tetiaroa are sustainability and the conservation of this island, and other islands, and the ocean that surrounds us.

Almost all of the research being done on Tetiaroa now falls under the umbrella of the Tetiaroa Atoll Restoration Program (TARP). Technically this would include any research that is recording the response to our conservation actions which remove invasive species. These include changes in population dynamics and behavior of organisms, changes in the physical and chemical environment, and the arrival of new breeding species.

The Conservation and Sustainable Use Plan provides the rationale for the science programs.

Interested in research? Check out our ongoing projects.

After effectively removing rats from the atoll in 2022, our next major conservation action which took place this year, was to remove Yellow Crazy Ants. This program eliminated another dangerous invasive species and was an important step towards our goal of restoring the natural environment of the island. On cue field observations and data began to show the recovery of the island ecosystems. Since this was the first year of post eradication studies, our research teams have been busy collecting and analyzing data. We expect a long list of scientific publications in coming years that will tell the story of how the biological and physical systems of an atoll recover.

Tetiaroa Island Digital Ecosystem Avatar (IDEA)

Tetiaroa IDEA is a place-based data science infrastructure and computational platform for scenario-based planning. The Tetiaroa IDEA will model the complex feedbacks between climate change, management actions, public policy, and ecosystem services across the island’s coupled marine-terrestrial landscape.

Lagoon Fish & Crustacean Replenishment

The present project aims to replenish the Tetiaroa lagoon by rearing and releasing fish and crustaceans caught at post-larval stage. The marine post-larvae will be caught using nets set up on the reef at Tetiaroa. The implementation of this project is part of a sustainable resource management approach supported by Tetiaroa Society.

Giant Trevally Project

Healthy populations of giant trevally and bonefish present an opportunity for sustainable economic development and eco-tourism in remote island locations where commercial fishing has historically been the only option. However in many of these locations bonefish and giant trevally are threatened by overfishing. The opportunity to study these animals in lightly fished locations like Tetiaroa is becoming increasingly rare. This research seeks to contribute to our understanding of the biology of these fishes and to determine steps necessary to protect them and establish sustainable fishing programs.

Tetiaroa Biocode Project

The Tetiaroa Biocode Project aims to create a comprehensive inventory of all non-microbial life in a complex tropical ecosystem. The primary objective of the first expedition is to do One Cubic Foot from the Tetiaroa reef that documents all creatures inhabiting the space as a mirror or sister site to Moorea.

taking underwater readings in the lagoon

Ocean Acidification Program

Known as the "rainforests of the sea,” coral reefs display the beauty, diversity, and complexity of the ocean, while also exhibiting the ocean’s sensitivity to changing global climate. We are researching how these amazing ecosystems function now, how they will change over the next 100 years, and how we can protect our precious reefs.

Tetiaroa Social-Ecological System Observatory

The data observatory will provide the secure infrastructure and long-term datasets needed to assess the effectiveness of management actions, underpin basic scientific research on the atoll, and provide an important reference point for the international global change research community. The observatory will monitor processes underlying sectorial issues prioritised by the UN: Water, Energy, Health, Food, and Biodiversity.